With Your Love

Chapter 17

I hear the door opening and I turn around quickly to see Kris stepping through the door, keys in hand and my mom, dad, and brother right behind her. Thank god me and Harry were fully dressed by then.

I quickly bring my hair over my shoulder to cover the dark mark on my neck before moving towards my family.
"Hey guys, I've missed you." I say, wrapping each of them in a tight hug.

They just kinda stand there, all four of them. Harry steps forth and introduces himself.

"Hello, my name is Harry. It's nice to meet you." He puts forth his hand and my dad hesitates before shaking it.

"Nice to meet you too Harry. How long have you known my daughter?" Great, interrogation time.

"I'd say a little over a week." He looks down at me and I nod in agreement.

"A week huh? And your already staying the night?" I can see his judgmental eyes darting from me to Harry and back again. What does he think I am? Some whore who's started sleeping with guys every night I've been here, which hasn't been long?

"Dad, it's not like that." But it so is.

"Sure it's not." I hear him mumble before my mom steps in, elbowing him in the stomach.

"Like my rude husband said, it's nice to meet you Harry. I'm Susan, my husband John and Victoria's older brother, Garret.

Garret glances Harry's way before looking somewhere else around the room. I could tell just by the look he gave him, that he doesn't like him. I'm starting to feel hot in this room full of people and I look at Kris who is staring at her feet. She hasn't said a word since she walked through the door. It's not like her, Kris is never quite.

"So, what brings you guys here?" I ask shifting on my feet. Why is this so awkward?

"Well, I missed my little girl. I hope its not a bad time. I know we said we would come 2 weeks later from now, but I figured I'd be a nice surprise." My mom says.

Don't get me wrong, I love my family and I'm happy they're here, but I do wish they would have waited. I'm still getting used to this new college life.

"No, mom it's fine. I'm glad you're here." I smile at her.

"Well I was thinking we could go out for lunch together, if that's fine?"

"Yeah. Can I get ready and just meet you there?"

"Sure sweetie. We're going to Firehouse Subs." With that they file out of the front of the room and out the door. I finally feel like I can breathe.

"I think I'll see you tomorrow Victoria." Harry says while walking toward the door. I follow behind him, hugging him tight when he pulls me to him and places a kiss on my head.

When I turn to Kris after closing the door, she's laying on her bed looking up at the ceiling. Something's wrong.

"What's going on with you? You haven't said a word since you got here." I crawl in her bed and lay beside her.

"My date with Steven didn't go so well. Some guys stepped to him when we got to his apartment and one of them pulled out a gun."

"What?! Are you okay? Is Steven okay?"

"We're both fine. I was just really shook up by it. He told me it was some guy who hadn't gotten over something that happened a few years before. I told he about my whole violence issue and that I didn't want him getting hurt. I guess he was aggravated and you know how guys are with their pride. He told me he could take care of himself and that led to an argument. Which led me to sleeping in the guest room and leaving first thing this morning."

"Aw, Kris. What do you think this means for the two of you?"

"I don't know. I mean, it was just a little argument. I think I'll talk to him later, but for right now I think I'll just give him some space." She sits up and crosses her legs, I do the same.

"Good idea. What do you think it was that the guy was angry about?"

"I don't know, but if Steven wants to tell me, he will. I want pressure him into telling me, even though i'm dying to know." I laugh lightly at her.

"Do you want to come with me to lunch with my parents?" I ask while getting up and heading to the bathroom.

"Nah I think I'll stay here. I should get started on this project or I never will."

"Awww. I wish you could. I have a feeling i'm going to be interrogated about Harry."

"If you really want me to go, I-"

"No, don't worry about it. They probably would have interrogated me anyway." We both laugh and I closed the door to the bathroom. I put my hair into a bun on the top of my head before turning the water on for the shower. I looked up and into the mirror and stared at myself while letting the water get hot.

I am so nervous about going to lunch with my family. It's not really the fact that I'm scared because I know my family. They're kind and trustworthy and understanding. It's just that I'm afraid they won't approve of Harry. The way my dad talked about us this morning really upset me.

A week huh? And your already staying the night?

It made me feel like he was calling me some slut who didn't have any self-respect for myself. Yes, I did do something intimate that I had never even dreamed of doing before, but I don't regret it. Harry wouldn't hurt me. The way he was last night was so different from the way he was the first time I met him. He was so gentle with me, like he was afraid to hurt me and I know he wouldn't, at least not on purpose.

As I'm thinking, the mirror begins to fog and I'll have to remember to put as much foundation as possible to cover up the love bite Harry gave me.